Carrying handle for cameras



June 26, 1923. 1,459,755

- c. F. SPEIDEL CARRYING HANDLE FOR CAMERAS Filed Aug. 16. 1922INVEIYTOK.

Patented June 2611923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. SPEIDEL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAKCOMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CARRYING HANDLE FOR CAMERAS Application filed August 16, 1922. SerialNo. 582,122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. SPEIDEL, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Carrying Handles for Cameras; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

l forming a part of this specification, and to the reference numeralsmarked thereon.

My present invention relates to photography, and more particularly tophotographic hand cameras, and it has for its 1 object to provide forsuch instruments a simple, neat and convenient carrying handle and onewhich will be particularly adapted for use with folding pocket cameras.The improvements are directed in part toward providing an improvedconstruction whereby the handle will maintain itself flat against thecamera body or case when not in use and will automatically normally ad--just itself to that position. To these and other ends the inventionresides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as willbe hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointedout in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear view of a folding pocket cameraprovided with a carrying handlev constructed in accordance with andillustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar fragmentary view thereof with the handle incarrying position;

Fi ure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the u per end of thecamera body with the hand e in the position of Figure 2;

Figure 4 isan enlarged fragmentary top view of one of the handleconnections with the handle in the position of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 exi oept that the handle is inthe position of Figure 1:

Figure 6 is a erspective view of a part of the handle, and

Fi re 7 is an enlar ed central longitudina section through t e handle.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Cameras of the character set forth usually provided with carryinghandles are rela-- tively thin, long and narrow and the handle isattached at the upper end which is one of the narrow ends. In thepractice of my invention I suitably secure as by the rivets 1 in apreferabl concealed position within the side walls 5 of a camera body 3two plates 1 projecting above the said carrying end 5. These platesterminate in tubular bearings 6 extending transversely of the wall 5 ateach end, and each end face of each bearing is cut as shown at 7 inFigures 4c and 5, to constitute a cam surface A substantiallyrectangular wire or similar link 8 of spring material is pivoted to turnvin the bearing 6 at its lower end and this lower end is preferablycomposed of the inturned and alined but spaced ends of the wire or othermaterial of which the link is formed so that the sides of the link maybe held under tension due to which they have a tendency to draw togetherand to pinch against the end cams 7 of the bearings 5, These cams are soformed that this contracting spring tension of the link causes it toride on the cams and to rotate itself downwardly to a flattened positionparallel with the end wall 5 of the camera, as shown in Figure 1 andalso in Figure 5, although when the links are forcibly raised they ridethe cams 7 though their tension is increased in. doing so.

The outer or free ends of the links which extend transversely as at 9parallel with the pivot bearings 6 slidably and pivotally engage inlongitudinal slots 10 in the ends of the handle grip 11 and openings atthe sides of the latter as shown. The said handle grip 11 is preferablyfiat and more or less flexible and is adapted to lie fiat against theend 5 of the camera body between the pivot bearing connections 6, asshown in igure 1. It is normally held in this 0- sition by the action ofthe links 8 which in pressing downwardly under the action of their camscarr the grip with them while slidably adjusting themselves in the slotsor sliding bearings 10. Of course when the camera'is being carried bythe grip 11 all these tendencies are overcome and t e parts adjustthemselves relatively, as shown -in Figure 2 with the links at theextreme outer ends of the slots 10.

I prefer to construct the grip 11 in the manner shown in detail inFlgures 6 and 7 llD A. strip of thin sheet metal 12 is bent or looped onitself at each end, as indicated at 13 to provide the slotted portion 10heretofore referred to and the doubled ends 13 are perforated at 14 andsecured by rivets 15. A reinforcing blocl; 16 is fitted in against thebody of the strip between the looped or double portions 13 to give thegrip uniform thickness, and the whole structure is then covered with asuitable flexible finishing material 17 such as leather or whatever isused to finish off the body of the camera.

A carrying handle constructed in accordance with my invention comprises"few parts which are readily constructed from tool made parts and easilyassembled, while in use the handle maintains itself in an inconspicuousposition where it is out of the way except when supporting the camera.

I claim as my invention:

1 In a carrying handle, the combination with a body to he supportedhaving spaced bearings and spring actuated links mounted at their lowerends in the hearings to normally swing downwardly against the body, 01?a hand grip adapted to lie close against the body between the bearingsand having longitudinal slots in its ends through which a cen /es theouter ends or the links extend in sliding engagement 2. In a carryinghandle, the combination with a body to be supported having spacedbearings and spring actuated links mounted at their lower ends in thehearings to normally swing downwardly against the body, of a hand gripad ted to lie close against the body between the bearings, and composedof a sheet metal strip bent upon itsell at both endsto torrnlongitudinal slots and covered with. finishing material, the outer endsof the said links being engaged in said slots as sliding hearings,

8. In a carrying handle the combination with a body to be supportedhaving spaced tubular bearings having earns at their ends and a handgrip adapted to lie close against the body between the bearings andprovided with elongated hearings at its ends, of spring links pivoted inthe body bearings and pin otally and slidably engaging the gripbearings, said links being adapted yieldingly contract against the camswhereby they tend to actuate the grip to position againti' the body,

lid

